Next Generation Processing Technologies for power generation

The long-term future of UK manufacturing is reliant on it being sustainable and achieving government targets. However, the need for **increased cost efficiency in manufacturing** is critical to remain competitive and key for survival and regrowth, which is especially relevant to the midlands manufacturing cluster having been severely impacted by COVID-19\. It is paramount that industry realise, through innovation, not only cost savings but **environmental sustainability and clean growth** thus creating **a more sustainable economy**. Therefore, technologies that can achieve all these goals are highly sought **This project is intended to directly improve business and industry efficiency through providing a sustainable solution to industry pains.** Across a wide number of applications, there is a need to modify the surface texture of components providing the optimum function and performance. However, current surface texturing and finishing operations across high-value manufacturing are heavily dependent upon dirty, dangerous, and unsustainable legacy processes, with currently no meaningful alternatives available offering a level of performance at cost whilst delivering a sustainability advantage. Finishing processes in high-value manufacturing typically involve acid-based chemical etching and media blasting due to their knowledge base and ease of working difficult materials. Although the hardware is considered relatively low cost, there are significant cost inefficiencies caused by non-value-added process steps, enlarged factory footprint and high operating and infrastructure costs. Additionally, current processes have a significant environmental impact across multiple waste streams and energy usage. **TextureJet has the technological potential to replace these legacy processes in their entirety**. TextureJet's core technology is a unique, neutral solution electrochemical machining process which offers an innovative and clean solution to address both the economic and environmental constraints of current methods. It can roughen, polish, etch and structure surfaces, without inducing surface damage or requirement of masking. It has the benefits over prior art of simplicity aiding low-cost scalability, precision, and flexibility. Vitally TextureJet's solution is environmentally sustainable, eliminating use of toxic chemicals only requiring low concentration saltwater solutions, with no dust or fume contamination and can operate at up to 100% machining efficiencies. Uniquely, it can be performed on site or in-situ, so the production line attributable footprint can be drastically reduced. Through this project TextureJet will demonstrate the viability of its technology to vastly reduce the environmental impact of finishing technologies by providing a cost-efficient solution where one does not currently exist enabling UK manufacturing to **'build back better**'.